PS 



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Class _j!l\L_k.^^3S 



Book :7.^U.^/i>, 

Copyright N^_ 



CDf^IGKT DEPOSIT. 



I^^»*»» » I 



THE BUCK AMERICAN 



BY BIRDIE WEST. 



DEDICATED TO THE 

N. A. A. C. P. 




i^ 



THE BLACK AMERICAN 



BY BIRDIE WEST. 



DEDICATED TO THE 

N. A. A. C P. 




BUSH PRINTING COMPANY 

PEORIA, ILLINOIS 

1919 



Copyright 1918 



oP vb 






THE BLACK AMERICAN 



PERSONNAE DRAMATIS 

MARIE SCOTT 
JANE WALTON— 

The Committee at the Hostess House 
FANNIE CLARK 
SOLDIERS — any number desired. 
PERCY PETERS, father of many sons 
H. L. GORDON, army captain 
ALICE MAY, Captain Gordon's sweetheart 
KARL KOEPPEN, the spv 
MESSENGER BOY 
NEWSBOY 



JAN 14 1919 



CLD 509 98 



TMP92-007516 



m 14 !S13 



THE BLACK AMERICAN. 

ACT I. 

Scene 1 — Hostess House. Time — Afternoon. 
Girls preparing to serve refreshments to the 

soldiers. Curtain rises on Marie, stirring chocolate 

and Jane getting cups, spoons, etc., ready. 

MARIE : 'T wonder where Fanny is. She'd come 
in handy right now. Do you think you can 
get the cups all ready?" 

JANE (sarcastically) : "O, yes; I'll take care of 
the cups, v/hile Fanny rrnakes eyes at the 
doughboys. I'll bet my last shin-plaster that's 
what she is doing." 

(Fanny rushes in. Hurriedly grabs an apron. 
Ties it on, talking all the while.) 

FANNY: ''Gracious, girls, did you think I was 
never coming? My, but I must hustle or we 
won't be ready. The boys are just off their 
hike, and will be here any minute." 

JANE (acidly) : 'Tity some folks never hurry till 
the w^ork's all done!" 

FANNY (ignoring the remark impressively an- 
nounces) : ''Girls, I have some thrilling news 
for you!" 

MARIE and JANE : "Well, don't make us wait for 
it." 

FANNY (smiles tolerantly) : "After hearing it 
put a plaster over your mouth. Even no self- 
cogitation allowed. But listen — they declare 
there is a German spy in our camp and have 
offered a reward of ten thousand dollars for 
his capture!" ;. . . .. 

JANE: "Humph! What's he doing here? He 
don't need to think he can manufacture any 
Arnolds out of us." 

MARIE (excitedly) : "Great Hosanna! Have they 
any idea who he is or where he is, or — or — " 
(Singing is heard outside.) 



THE BLACK AMERICAN 



FANNY : ''Ssh, not another word. The boys are 
coming. Fll just get a Httle more water to 
stretch this chocolate out." (Goe^ out with a 
bucket. Enter six or more soldiers singing 
''Over There" or some patriotic air.) 

FIRST SOLDIER (stepping near Marie, who is 
stirring) : ''Say, sornie smell to that liquid. 
Must be the real bean!" 

MARIE : "Sure is. Have some ?" 

FIRST SOLDIER (slapping second on the back) : 
"How^ about it, old scout?" 

SECOND SOLDIER : "Dogged if faint worrisome 
now, but stocks are a little low just at present 
time, so " 

MARIE : "We know the eagle ain't screamed late- 
ly, but we'll jawbone you." 
(The other soldiers who have been talking to 
Jane join the group.) 

THIRD SOLDIER: "That must mean us, too. 
Sweet Marie." 

MARIE : "O, don't hesitate, boys. The khaki is 
security." 

(The girls serve and the boys dance around 
and sing a line or two of "Oui, Oui, Marie," as 
they drink. Just as they finish another sol- 
dier rushes in.) 

PERSHING: "Anybody here seen my gas miask?" 

OTHER SOLDIERS: "No, Pershing. What do you 
want with it?" 

PERSHING: "I just met a fellow that said he met 
another fellow that shook hands with a guy 
that had that flenza, so I want to protect my- 
self." 

MARIE and JANE: "Well, get out of here. We'll 
turn the hot water on vou exposing us to that 
flu." 

(Both chase him out with kettle of hot water. 
Simultaneously Fannie enters and takes her 
seat at a table near the door. Also enters Mr. 
Peters, an elderly man, much dressed, with 
grey hair and beard.) 



THE BLACK AMERICAN 



MR, PETERS: ''Be this the abode of the hostess 
house ?" 

FANNY: **Yes, this is the hostess house. Any 
special person you would like to see?" 

PETERS: ''Yes, Missie, I should say. I've got 
three sons in this camp, and I've got some 
new-born information for one of them. Yes, 
I\Iissie, I " 

FANNY: "If you will give me the names of your 
sons we will have them brought to you." 

PETERS : "The three in this camp bear the names 
of Hezekiah, Zechariah and Seth. Then I've 
got three in that high-browed camp, Des 
Moines ; three across the waters, two in Camp 
Uppish and three more at home just bilin' to 
be Dutch cleansers." 

SECOND SOLDIER (all rushing to him and shak- 
ing hands) : "Some papa I'd say. Let's shake. 
You could raise an army of your own." 

FANNY: "You're a great, grand man, with so 
much to give to your country." 

PETERS (smiling broadly) : "Yes, Missie, if size 
counts, we're some folks, and I just run down 
here specially to tell my youngest boy that 
he's got a little soldier at his house, born just 
twenty-four hours ago, with two teeth and 
a steamboat yell!" 

SOLDIERS (slapping him on the back) : "Con- 
gratulations, sir, and three cheers for the 
young American!" 

PETERS (taking some papers out of his pocket, 
laughing loudly all the time) : "And while he 
was howling, I just stuffed one of these pa- 
pers in his mouth, and what do you think, the 
little owl stopped right away." 

ALL : "What is the pacifier ?" 

PETERS (still grinning) : "Oh, this is one of them 
dash-cuttin' Liberty bonds. Bought all my 
soldier boys one, and I just couldn't slight 
this little kiddie with his Daddy a-off in the 
army," 



THE BLACK AMERICAN 



FANNY : "I'm sure your son will want to hear that 
good news. Now, if you will just give us your 
last name we will have him brought here in a 

jiffy." 

PETERS: ''0, 'scuse me. I'm sure glad Sarah 
ain't here. Sarah's my wife. She says I talk 
so much I always forget the main object. My 
name's Peters, Percy Peters, Missie, at youi' 
feet." (Finishes with a sweeping bow.) 

THIRD SOLDIER: "You're the Peters boys' fa- 
ther? Princes, the w^hole trio. We'll carry 
you to them at once." (Soldiers put Peters on 
their shoulders and go out singing, "We're all 
Going Calling on the Kaiser." Marie and Jane 
each holding one of Peters feet go out with 
them,. The honk of an auto is heard. Alice 
May, Captain Gordon's sweetheart, enters vi- 
vaciously and sm[iling.) 

ALICE MAY: "How do you do!" (Passes Fannie 
her card.) 

FANNY : "Delighted, Miss May. Will you have a 
seat or shall I take you to your room^?" 

ALICE: "Neither this minute, thanks. I'll just 
shake my legs about a bit first." (Limps 
around.) "Feel as if I had been packed down 
in one of those soldier kits. Twenty-four 
hours at the wheel doesn't exactly make a 
ballet girl out of you." 

FANNY: "So that was your car we heard?" 

ALICE: "0, yes, unless it was Dad snoring. 
Father's sleeping notes are quite overwhelm- 
ing. He slept all the way over, too, and left 
the driving for me." 

FANNY: "No wonder you have that hard boiled 
feelino^." 

ALICE : "b, I'm fine now. Don't feel it at all in 
spite of quite a little sprinting around I did 
yesterday. Just before starting I canteened 
two hundred soldiers, inspected thirteen Red 
Cross shops, and organized seven more." 

JANE and MARIE (who have entered while Alice 



THE BLACK AMERICAN 



was talking, throw up hands) : **Help!" (Fan- 
ny smiles.) 

ALICE: ''Father always said I was a bit preco- 
cious. I organized my first club when I was 
twelve years of age; and it was called the 
Anti-Dust Cap and Apron society. Effect 
most far reaching. Not a woman in our 
county will wear an apron and a dust cap 
outside of her own gate post." 

JANE : '1 suppose, Miss May, you came down here 
to organize a few more clubs." 

ALICE: ''No, thanks. Dad and I just ran down 
to — to see Captain Gordon. He's an old friend 
of — of the family." 

(Enters Karl Koeppen in minister's attire. 
Apparently his skin is brown, but in truth it 
is white, the brown being only a coating. 
Voice velvety with a slight foreign accent.) 

KOEPPEN: "Ah, the same old tantalizing smell. 
Yes, four cups as usual, one for each of your 
smiling selves and the fourth for your saint- 
ed slave." (Looks over and sees Alice.) "And 
— perhaps — " 

FANNY : "Father Koeppen, meet Miss May. This 
is our chaplain, Miss May." 

KOEPPEN: "I am delighted. Miss May, please 
join us." 

ALICE (demurely) : "My father always advised 

me never to drink with strangers unless they 

could prove their good standing. However, 

your attire speaks something. Have you been 

formally baptized?" 

KOEPPEN: "By water and fire and liquid gas." 

ALICE : "Can you name all the kings of Israel ?" 

KOEPPEN: "Both forward and backward." 

ALICE: "Can you give the legal password to the 
N. A. A. C. P.?" 

KOEPPEN: "Why, Miss May, I am the author of 
that password!" 

ALICE : "According to the questionnaire, your 
standing is excellent. Father Koeppen. I ac- 



THE BLACK AMERICAN 



cept two cups." (Captain Gordon has entered 
in time to hear the last words. Goes over to 
x\hce and shakes hands.) 

GORDON: *'Aha. one of those cups must be for 
me. The capable person, as usual, making 
previous arrangements. Just saw your father. 
He reports a fine trip." (After drinking he 
leads her across the room, just as a squad of 
soldiers rushes in, salutes Gordon and sings 
lustily '^0, How I Hate To Get Up in the 
Morning" or any desired song. Curtain falls 
then rises almost immediately, showing only 
Gordon and Alice on the stage.) 

GORDON (taking her hand) : ''Alice, I am, so glad, 
so happy you are here today. Why delay 
longer? Why not get married right away?" 

ALICE: ''Not now, Hugh. It is wisest to wait 
until after the war." 

GORDON: "But think, dear, how you have made 
me wait two years already. I'm likely to go 
any week, any day, and I want you all mine 
before I leave. All we need is a minister and 
a license, both within arm's reach. What say 
you, sweetheart?" 

ALICE: 'T wouldn't ever care to have Koeppen 
m^arry us. I don't like him. He's a spider." 

GORDON: "We'll not have Koeppen, dear. There 
are others aplenty." 

ALICE : "Not today, Hugh ; we will wait a httle 
longer." (Enters a messenger boy, whistling. 
Salutes Gordon and gives him an envelope. 
Gordon reads and exclaims.) 

GORDON: "Great God!" 

ALICE (with anxiety) : "What is it, Hugh, tell 
me? Is it bad news?" 

GORDON: "Looks as if that confounded Villa was 
at some more of his deviltry. The matter de- 
mands my attention at once. Besides, I have 
an engagement with your spider." (Smiles 



THE BLACK AMERICAN 



and kisses her.) "And now I mfust leave you, 
I shall not be able to see you before tomiorrow. 
Then, maybe — 0, I hope, sweetheart, then 
you will say yes." 

Curtain. 
ACT 11. 
Scene 1. Gordon's office. A table and few 

chairs the only furniture. Lamp on table only 

light. Curtain rises with Gordon sitting at table, 

looking over papers; as Koeppen enters he looks 

up. 

GORDON: "You're very punctual, P'ather. It still 
wants three minutes to seven." (Pushes him 

a chair.) 

KOEPPEN (seats himself and remarks quietly) : 
"Yes, we should always begin early when 
questions are weighty. Captain Gordon, I 
have come tonight to offer you the most glor- 
ious thing in all the world, liberty." 

GORDON (in surprised tone of voice) : "Liberty? 
Why, Father, I live in a free country." 

KOEPPEN (with warmth) : "But are you free? 
If so, why are you, a college man, a seasoned 
10th Cavalry man, Jim Crowed down here in 
a scurvy corner of Texas when your record 
demands a generalship. Why are the doors 
of industry barred against you and open to 
the Pole, the Russian, the Italian, the Ger- 
man? You — Liberty — what a hollow mock- 
ery!" 

GORDON: "Those things in time will right them- 
selves. Justice must prevail. Loyalty will be 
rewarded. Eagerly have we given our tiny 
wage for Liberty bonds and our lives for de- 
mocracy. Can any country long deny equal 
opportunity to such a people?" 

KOEPPEN: "Let me answer you. Every bond 
will be sullied by the blood of a lynched vic- 
tim, and tainted by the stench of a human 
bon-fire, and your democracy won on the 
fields of France will be a farce in America. 



10 TPIE BLACK AMERICAN 



Have you forgotten East St. Louis, Hous- 
ton?" (Takes a stride up and down the stage 
and then stops directly in front of Gordon. 
Resurnies his speech in tense voice.) ''Listen, 
Captain Gordon, you and your men have been 
without pay for two months. Toraorrow 
morning at four Villa will enter this town. 
Join us. One thousand dollars for each pri- 
vate. Ten thousand for yourself." 

GORDON (jumping up) : ''Stop! Enough! As I 
have long suspected, you are a spy, a Germian 
spy. Herr Koeppen, you are in the wrong 
camp. The Black American has never had a 
traitor." 

KOEPPEN: "Call me a spy or what j^ou please. I 
am here to give you a golden world. You are 
simply to join our army tonight. We will 
take this place. That will be the signal for 
the uprising of your people all over the South. 
We will receive powerful reinforcements from 
Mexico. Then it will be one triumphal march 
to the very Halls of the White House. The 
Sunny South will be your domain. You can 
be governors of states and mayors of cities, 
and m.en — men free, with privilege and 
power." 

GGORDON: "Herr Koeppen, we are not aliens. 
While the rebels fought to tighten the 
shackles our mothers nursed his babies. Is 
not that in itself sufficient proof that no 
traitor can come out of Etheopia? Your kind 
may call us Negroes, but we are Americans 
and we can no more betray America than 
we can betray the cross." 

KOEPPEN: "Then, fool, you refuse emancipa- 
tion, a fortune, a kingdom ?" 

GORDON (with warmth) : "Yes, I refuse it all 
and without thanks. We would not betray 
one spadeful of this soil for all the filthy gold 
in the German empire and I speak for 12 mil- 
lion Black Americans." 



THE BLACK AMERICAN 11 



KOEPPEN (turning as if to go) : 'Then our paths 
lie in little different directions." 

GORDON: '^Eventually, I hope; but just now you 
are my prisoner." (Covers Koeppen with re- 
volver.) _ 

KOEPPEN (after a moment's silence begins 
suavely) :"Ah, captain, I have always admired 
your thoroughness and quick decision. Like- 
wise your magnanimity. That is why I beg 
your indulgence for one last favor. Permit 
me to remove this covering before — sunrise, 
I wish to spare your people any humiliation. 
Too many crimes are committed under ar- 
tificial black. A little medicated kerchief m 
my vest pocket will efface the war mi'ask." 
(Captain makes sign of assent.) 

KOEPPEN (continues) : "I may use it? As, ever 

the prince. See " (Wipes face and the 

color comes off.) ''A few strokes and I am 
what I am. Hands, too (Holds hands out 
over the table near the lamp), clever little 
trick. Learned it from an East Indian years 
ago." (At last word Koeppen overturns lamp 
and makes leap for door. Gordon leaps after 
him. They grapple in the darkness. A shot 
is fired. When the lights are turned on Gor- 
don with a rope in his hand, stands over his 
victim. Curtain falls.) 

ACT m. 

Scene— Hostess house same as opening. Time 
—Next morning. Jane and Marie enter and begin 
dusting and talking simultaneously, 
JANE: ''Sure is something stirring around here 

this morning." 
MARIE: "Well, what's the action now?' 
JANE : "There's going to be a wedding here to- 

MARIE : "Now here, no shell shocks." 
JANE : "0, not from wedding bells. Captain Gor- 
don's going to ring them. That girl of his 



12 THE BLACK AMERICAN 

has been laughing and crying all m-orning. 
Seenas a bit agitated over some stunt pulled 
off last night. Couldn't get what it was." 
(Boy rushes in calling extra.) 
JANE: ''Give me one, Laddie. Maybe this well 
shed some light on the mystery." (Pays him 
and reads) : ''Dangerous Spy Captured. Karl 
Koeppen, who for two years masqueraded as 
a colored army chaplain, brought to justice 
by Captain H. L. Gordon. Koeppen was one 
of the miost astute and resourceful spies in 
the German system. Ten thousand dollars had 
been offered for his capture, dead or alive. 
Captain Gordon stubbornly refused the re- 
ward, but military officers invested the 
amount in Liberty bonds to be presented at 
his wedding, which takes place this noon. 
They also promoted him; to the rank of major 
and he leaves tomorrow for overseas duty." 
MARIE : "Well, excuse m.e, chocolate, for I'm go- 
ing to get my hair pressed for the occasion." 
JANE: "And I guess I'll trim my corns and take 
a facial massage." 

Curtain. 
A military wedding scene may or may not 
follow. Should the wedding be desired have some- 
one sing Burleigh's "Just You" before the bridal 
party enters. Afterwards let the curtain fall on a 
ringing war song by the company. 
END. 




